Category: Thursday Theme Park
New color scheme and blog changes.
As a first step in returning to regularly posting here, I have updated the color scheme of the blog (I was never particularly happy with the previous one – though this one may be a bit too blue-heavy).
As a second step in returning to regularly posting here, I have removed the “daily posts” link from the nav bar above. That also means that I’m dumping the idea of themed daily posts. It was fun while it lasted but it was inevitable that I would grow tired of the self-imposed restriction.
Instead, I’m going to make a point of posting something interesting every day when I get up. The topics will likely still be the same as my previous array of daily categories, but they just won’t be limited to the day of the week.
This will be the last official post in the daily categories. In the future, instead of “Wednesday Whine,” I will simply use a new “Whine” category. The same goes for all the others.
I’m sure there will be days when I’m too busy to post anything but I’ll try not to let that happen too often, as there’s almost always something interesting going on in the world that I want to comment about.
In case you’re curious: This blog receives about 12,000 unique visitors a month, so there are definitely plenty of readers out there. It’s down about 9% over the last 30 days so I hope to bring that number back up as I resume posting once again… which will be later today, after I eat lunch.
Until then, comment and let me know if there are any particular topics you enjoy reading my thoughts on.
TweetTHURSDAY THEME PARK: Universal Studios’ Terminator 2: 3D
I can’t think of a better way to conclude my series of posts leading up to the release of Terminator Salvation than with a look at…
Universal Studios’ Terminator 2: 3D
When I write that I want to take a “look” at Terminator 2: 3D, I mean it literally. Ever since I first saw this incredible attraction, which is essentially an extension of Terminator 2: Judgement Day (the movie), I wanted to own a copy to watch over and over at home. James Cameron (and his crew) did an incredible job bringing the world of Terminator 2 back to life in this action-packed show that’s unlike any other 3D movie anywhere, combining live character doubles and special effects in the theater with on-screen big-budget scenes starring the top actors from the film.
So I was happy to have now found a variety of good-enough-for-now versions of the attraction on YouTube. None of them are crystal clear or worth blowing up on a big screen in a home theater, but they are enough to satisfy any T2:3D craving for those of you who can’t run out to Universal Studios to see it in person. So here are the best versions I could find online:
This last video features a clip of the finale of the T2:3D attraction in anaglyph 3D, so you can enjoy the multi-dimensional fun at home with a pair of red/blue glasses. Just be sure to skip the first couple of minutes of excessively-long scrolling text:
While I never want to see Terminator 2: 3D leave Universal Studios, it’s inevitable that eventually it will no longer be relevant and be replaced by something inferior. When that time comes, I hope that they have the good sense to follow in the footsteps of Back to the Future: The Ride and release the entire T2:3D film on DVD, Blu-Ray, or whatever home video technology is popular at the time. Maybe it’ll even be in 3D by then.
TweetTHURSDAY THEME PARK: Thoughts on D23 Summer Events
When D23, the official fan club/community for Disney fans, launched in March, I wasn’t terribly excited about what was being offered. Joining D23 seemed to only offer members a membership card, certificate, subscription to Disney Twenty-Three magazine, limited exclusive merchandise availability, and a promise of future surprises. Now, Disney has announced a few of those surprises and I’m here to give some…
Thoughts on D23 Summer Events
The idea of having exclusive events for D23 members only appeals to me. I haven’t joined the club as I haven’t yet found enough value in the $75 membership cost. Unfortuantely, as exciting as some of the newly-announced events are, none of them are taking place anywhere near my home in Orlando and thus even if I were a member of D23, I couldn’t participate in them.
Make sure you read about the announced events before reading my thoughts about each below.
- May 28 D23 “Up All Night” at Hollywood’s El Capitan Theatre (FREE)
I think it’s a great idea to have an advance screening of the latest Disney movie, especially when it’s the latest Pixar film. However, I’d be a whole lot more tempted to join D23 if every member got a free pass good for an advance screening at a local theater of their choice rather than limiting it only to the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles. The El Capitan event sounds like a lot of fun, and I’m sure some great Disney adn Pixar guests will be there to talk about the film, but I’d imagine that most D23 members won’t be able to attend it. Perhaps those who can’t make it to LA should at least be able to get a free ticket to a regular showing of the film.
- May 31 D23’s Flowers & Fireworks Celebration at Epcot (FREE with park admission)
I’m not terribly excited about the ideas of having reserved seating for seeing Tony Orlando perform at Epcot or a special section for watching the park’s nighttime fireworks show, Illuminations. I’m not a fan of Tony Orlando and there are so many great spots from which to see Illuminations, a special viewing area really isn’t needed. However, getting a free Epcot dessert party is a wonderful treat and if I were a D23 member, I’d definitely attend. I bet this gathering will be packed.
- June 24 D23’s Supercalifragilistic Night on Broadway
- June 24 D23 and Poppins Breeze into The Windy City
- June 27 D23 and The Lion King Roar in Vegas
I’m lumping these three events together as they’re all very similar, taking places in New York, Chicago, and Las Vegas. They all involve seeing a Disney stage show and going “behind-the-scenes” for each. Since I live nowhere near any of these cities, they simply wouldn’t work for me. Plus, these events are not free, so even if I did live in one of these cities, I wouldn’t attend. I’m just not much of a stage show fan. For those who happen to live in/near New York, Chicago, or Las Vegas and love theater, I suppose this is a great perk. But I wonder what percentage of D23 members this will apply to.
- June 27 & Aug. 15 D23 Day at The Walt Disney Studios and Archives (FREE)
This is my favorite of the announced D23 events and I would join D23 in a second just for this event – if I lived in California. Since space is limited, I suspect that this will fill up within minutes of it becoming available. I have visited the Walt Disney Studios before, but never the Archives. It’s definitely on my Disney to-do list.
- July 17 D23 presents Disneyland, U.S.A. (FREE)
Again, if I lived in California, I’d be tempted to join D23 to attend this screening/panel discussion. I’m a sucker for panel discussions, especially when amazing people like Imagineer Tony Baxter and Archivist Dave Smith are brought in to speak. I’ve attended one of Dave Smith’s talks in the past and he certainly has plenty of great stories to tell. Another plus for D23.
- Sept TBD The Walt Disney Family Museum Preview (FREE)
Yet another must-do for D23 members who live in California. I’m really excited about the opening of the Walt Disney Family Museum and would definitely jump at a chance to attend a sneak preview of it. Unfortunately, again, I don’t live in California. Though, if they happen to schedule this event anywhere near the D23 Expo (Sept 10-13), I might have to make a special trip from Anaheim to San Francisco to make it.
D23 Scoreboard
Out of 8 announced events, my personal tally is 4 hits, 3 misses, and 1 toss-up. The 4 hits are all in California, so if I lived there, I’d be joining D23 right now, waiting for a chance to sign up for those events. The 3 misses are all theater stage show-based and regardless of the city, I wouldn’t attend. The 1 toss-up is the only event that’s here in Orlando, at Epcot, but isn’t enough of an event to get me to join. An Epcot dessert party isn’t worth $75 to me.
But D23 is looking more appealing by the month. I’m enjoying their surprisingly-regularly updated web site (which you don’t have to be a member to read) and if more Orlando-based events are announced, I may end up joining D23 by the end of the year.
Now if only they’d announce the schedule for the D23 Expo in September so I can book my plane tickets already…
What do you think of the announced D23 events? Comment!
TweetTHURSDAY THEME PARK: Manta roller coaster at SeaWorld Orlando
Some Thursdays I have original theme park things to post that I haven’t posted anywhere else. This is not one of those days. But that doesn’t mean what I have for you isn’t any less interesting. So today I bring you to…
Manta roller coaster at SeaWorld Orlando
First, we start off with the video I spent most of yesterday editing. It’s around five minutes long and features SeaWorld’s director of design and engineering Brian Morrow (amongst others) walking you through the new roller coaster’s twists and turns, coupled with a ton of shots I took of the fun new ride and its extraordinarily comfortable queue packed with some of the coolest aquariums I’ve ever seen:
Other than having to endure the Florida heat, I had a blast both shooting this video and riding Manta. It is a fantastic roller coaster and should give a good reason to anyone who ever had doubts about taking the time to visit SeaWorld.
Here’s my full review of Manta, reposted from the Orlando Attractions Magazine blog…
Most floor-less coasters, like SeaWorld’s Kraken, allow riders’ feet to float freely in the air while riding, but Manta restricts leg movement and for a good reason. Guests quickly understand that reason upon being pulled backward into a horizontal position.
At first, the feeling of facing directly toward the ground is a bit startling. Riders feel the pressure of their own weight pushing back against them as the padded harnesses hold them in. It feels secure, but initially uncomfortable, especially while immediately staring at the ground. But once you lift your head and look straight in front of you instead of down, the feeling shifts from a pull downward to a desire to fly forward, unhindered by Earth’s natural physics.
Upon leaving the station and heading up the lift hill, a moment of relief is offered as riders are returned to a semi-upright position, allowing blood to return to its normal places in the body. But all that changes once the top of the hill is behind you and you begin down the first of many twists and turns.
Manta was my first experience on a “flying” roller coaster. Prior to soaring over SeaWorld, my coaster-riding experiences all involved sitting or standing, not lying down. As you would expect, riding underneath a track with absolutely nothing blocking your view of the world zipping by around you is an exhilarating experience -- and certainly a new one to Orlando.
My first journey on Manta was in the back row, as I had heard from many people that it was the most physically intense. For comparison, my second trip was in the front row, as that’s generally the row with the least physical forces exerted on riders and the most visual impact. After riding the two extreme positions on Manta, I can safely say that it is now both the most intense and most visually appealing roller coaster in Orlando.
While riding a roller coaster, I have never felt anything quite like pressure exerted on me during Manta’s pretzel loop while sitting in the back row. The loop, aptly named for the fact that it is shaped like a pretzel, occurs very early in the ride and was definitely not expected. I’ve been on hundreds of coaster loops in the past -- indoors, outdoors, tall, short, twisting, non-twisting -- but never one as forceful as this one was.
In cresting the top of the loop (riding underneath the track on the inside of the loop), riders have no choice but to stare straight at the track ahead, curving underneath and out of view. The lightweight feeling of flying over that uppermost arch quickly becomes the sheer opposite as the car rounds the vertical corner sending you on a trip toward the ground, exerting extreme forces on you all the while. It’s a uniquely breath-taking experience (literally) that I would only recommend for those looking for Orlando’s newest extreme thrill.
Riding around this loop in the front row relieves most of the extreme pressure and allows for a much more scenic trip around the loop, enabling you to focus less on remembering to breathe and more on the beautiful water and greenery that surrounds Manta.
For the remainder of the ride, both in the front and back rows, the experience of flying took over once again and while there are several more inversions, none are nearly as extreme as the initial pretzel loop. Instead, the impact of feeling like a superhero (or perhaps a ray underwater) is what remains in my memory of the new attraction.
I’ll need to ride Manta a few more times before deciding if it is Orlando’s best roller coaster. I adore the Incredible Hulk Coaster at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, which has stood as my favorite since it opened -- and that’s something not easily beaten. I’ve ridden the Hulk well over 50 times and Manta only twice, but the combination of the extreme thrill of the pretzel loop and the unmatched feeling of flying may place Manta at the top of my list and will surely bring coaster enthusiasts and thrill seekers to SeaWorld Orlando to check it out.
(Still photography by Matt Roseboom)
TweetTHURSDAY THEME PARK: Magic Kingdom Moments
Following up on the Magic Kingdom Photo Update I just posted on the Orlando Attractions Magazine blog, I thought I’d share a few fun photos I took on the same day for some…
Magic Kingdom Moments
While the above-mentioned photo update is filled with new and interesting things in and around the Magic Kingdom, the following few photos are just extra random snapshots that I took while wandering the park.
I can never resist taking a picture of a nearby monorail. They’re just so photogenic.
This is one of the best views of the Liberty Belle riverboat. It’s kind of funny to see the Hall of Presidents building wrap with the fake blue sky in the distance.
It’s always amusing to watch for the looks on guests’ faces just after coming down the big drop on Splash Mountain. Such a wide range of emotions.
I decided to take a trip up, through, and down the attraction I absolutely never visit at the Magic Kingdom: Swiss Family Treehouse. I found myself wanting less leaves and more open views of Adventureland below me. And less stairs. Couldn’t the family have built a tree elevator?
While I was visiting attractions I usually ignore, I figured a trip on Goofy’s Barnstormer was in order. The short ride offers some great views of Mickey’s Toontown. I have no idea who the girl sitting in front of me was, but we were stopped before reaching the unload area so I decided to take a picture.
Until this trip to the Magic Kingdom, I had no idea that there was an “observation area” for the Tomorrowland Indy Speedway, as this ride always has too long of a wait for me to even approach it. As I found out, the bleacher-filled area is a great spot to take pictures from.
That’s all the photos for today!
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